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The Stuart tiara - I am confused Posted by Janet on April 30, 2020, 5:36 am So my understanding is that this amazing tiara has two settings, a smaller version and one with the Stuart diamond as the centrepiece. I accept they have some similarities (at the base) but it seems to me the frames are entirely different and there are different stones used across the two tiaras, although the stones may be transferable from one setting to another. Am I missing something? Maybe I have misunderstood what is meant by setting in this context and what is actually meant is that there are two completely separate frames and the stones can be taken from one and placed in the other. When I think of a tiara having two settings I think of the Vladimir circle tiara, the frame is the same but the pearls can be swapped for emeralds but obviously the tiara frame is unchanged. Hope this makes sense... In terms of the smaller version, there are some monster diamonds in that, maybe not at the Stuart level but nonetheless huge. Does anyone know anything about these?

Re: The Stuart tiara - I am confused Posted by 992234177 on April 30, 2020, 9:10 am, in reply to "The Stuart tiara - I am confused" If you look at the suspended pear diamond in the second picture and take away the whole scroll section it hangs from, the bit below remains in the first picture. The round diamond with its two downward leaf like scrolls and the the lower connected upward point scrolls are connected to the base that remains in both versions. Where the pear diamond was hanging are now the upward scrolls. One of the pictures was taken looking up at the tiara so the base looks taller and that affects how you view it, in fact the tiara in its smaller setting looks like it is bigger than when it is in its full version. https://ibb.co/album/Z2m9VD Sorry about the appalling editing.

Re: The Stuart tiara - I am confused Posted by mauriz on April 30, 2020, 4:50 pm, in reply to "The Stuart tiara - I am confused" I think 992234177 is right that it is the camera angle which makes your two photos somewhat misleading, not only regarding the "construction" of the two versions, but also regarding their size. In addition to 992234177's demonstration one could note that there are several "small" versions possible which all share the same lower structure of the tiara. In your first photo, one of the second largest diamond clusters and its "stem" (for lack of a better word) is used as a central element. When Queen Maxima decided to use the two second largest diamond clusters as earrings, she went for one of the utmost top diamond clusters (and its stem) as the central element. These two photos from approximately the same angle allow to better compare the individual elements:

Thank you both Posted by Janet on April 30, 2020, 8:02 pm, in reply to "The Stuart tiara - I am confused" Your replies make great sense, many thanks. It really is one of my favourite tiaras and I especially love the one featuring the Stuart diamond, it is so rare to have a tiara to contain such a big diamond, in fact the only other one I can think of is the now destroyed tiara of Lady Astor, which contained the Sancy diamond.

Re: Thank you both Posted by Beth on May 1, 2020, 9:31 am, in reply to "Thank you both" Thank you. It now all makes sense. Another tiara which used to have (sometimes) two large diamonds is the Delhi Durbar tiara when Queen Mary wore it with Cullinan III and IV at 94.4 and 63.6 carats respectively. The early setting with these diamonds The later setting

Re: Thank you both Posted by Knightship on May 1, 2020, 1:42 pm, in reply to "Re: Thank you both" Does anyone know the carats of the centre diamond in the Maltese Cross tiara? Previous Message Thank you. It now all makes sense. Another tiara which used to have (sometimes) two large diamonds is the Delhi Durbar tiara when Queen Mary wore it with Cullinan III and IV at 94.4 and 63.6 carats respectively. The early setting with these diamonds The later setting

Re: Thank you both Posted by Beth on May 1, 2020, 5:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Thank you both" It is a sizeable diamond! But how large? I have long had the idea that this might have been the diamond given to Queen Maud as a wedding gift by Mr Astor, but of course have no proof of that. Unfortunately, none of the UK press reports which I have seen ever attempted to give a carat weight to the gift, although some referred to it as the size of a walnut. I wonder what that was meant to convey? Except that the diamond, which was then set on a bangle (or bracelet), was a large one. Apologies, but I am not familiar with the average size of a walnut.

Re: Thank you both Posted by Knightship on May 1, 2020, 9:38 pm, in reply to "Re: Thank you both" Maybe, but I don't think the shape of the diamond in the sketch you posted of Astor's wedding gift is a match.  Previous Message It is a sizeable diamond! But how large? I have long had the idea that this might have been the diamond given to Queen Maud as a wedding gift by Mr Astor, but of course have no proof of that. Unfortunately, none of the UK press reports which I have seen ever attempted to give a carat weight to the gift, although some referred to it as the size of a walnut. I wonder what that was meant to convey? Except that the diamond, which was then set on a bangle (or bracelet), was a large one. Apologies, but I am not familiar with the average size of a walnut.

Re: Dutch Stuart tiara and earrings Posted by Maria Olivia on May 2, 2020, 10:16 pm, in reply to "Re: Thank you both" i did not notice that Queen Maxima did not wear the complete Frame in Luxembourg she did for the State Visit in the UK. Thank you. Could someone tell me the weight of the tiara and their earrings?? Previous Message Maybe, but I don't think the shape of the diamond in the sketch you posted of Astor's wedding gift is a match.  Previous Message It is a sizeable diamond! But how large? I have long had the idea that this might have been the diamond given to Queen Maud as a wedding gift by Mr Astor, but of course have no proof of that. Unfortunately, none of the UK press reports which I have seen ever attempted to give a carat weight to the gift, although some referred to it as the size of a walnut. I wonder what that was meant to convey? Except that the diamond, which was then set on a bangle (or bracelet), was a large one. Apologies, but I am not familiar with the average size of a walnut.

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